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Indian military commanders to gather for brainstorming session |
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India’s top military commanders will convene in Delhi this week to assess the regional security scenario and fine tune operational doctrines against the backdrop of a prolonged military standoff with nuclear rival Pakistan, writes Rezaul H. Laskar.
Plans for the acquisition of hi-tech hardware, improved utilisation of funds for modernising the armed forces and ongoing efforts to integrate the three services are expected to figure in the deliberations beginning April 15, Defence Ministry sources said.
Commanders of the army, navy and air force will hold separate conferences that Defence Minister George Fernandes will address. “The army commanders will make a comprehensive review of the situation on the western frontier with Pakistan,” said a defence ministry official, referring to the military standoff sparked by the December 13 terror attack on India’s Parliament.
The two countries massed close to a million troops along their border after New Delhi blamed Pakistan-backed terror groups for the attack. Defence sources said the Army currently had no plans to pull back the bulk of troops deployed along the frontier as the military pressure has had some effect on Pakistani forces.
“The army commanders will work out strategies to deal with possible infiltration of terrorists once mountain passes in Kashmir reopen with the melting of snow,” a Defence official said. The military commanders will discuss the integrated defence structure that India plans to create under the command of a chief of defence staff. A part of that structure is already in place under Lt. Gen. Pankaj Joshi, who is currently visiting the U.S. to study America’s experiences in integrating its armed forces. The need to change operational doctrines to accommodate hi-tech hardware that India plans to acquire in coming months - including the possible lease of four nuclear-capable Tu-22M3 bombers and two nuclear-powered submarines from Russia - will be taken up by naval commanders, Defence sources said. Steps to improve utilisation of funds earmarked for arms purchases will also figure in the deliberations. A third of the defence budget for 2002-03, pegged at Rs.650 billion, has been set aside for purchases. Security analysts and Defence Minister George Fernandes have expressed concern at the inability of the armed forces to spend money that was allocated for modernisation of their arsenals in recent years.
Almost Rs.50 billion of the allocation for 2001-02 was not spent as arms purchases were held up by a defence scandal. The defence ministry returned Rs.40 billion similarly during fiscal 2000-01.
The shopping list of the Indian armed forces currently includes Israeli Phalcon airborne warning and control systems (AWACS), advanced jet trainers, multi-barrel rocket launchers, a refurbished Russian aircraft carrier and hi-tech radars and surveillance systems.
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